Good Day Alabama: November 15, 2016

2016-11-15T17:56:58Z2016-11-15T17:56:58Z

(Source: WBRC video)

Here's what you saw on Good Day:

STONE MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS - Stone Mountain Christmas runs November 12 - January 4! The holidays come to life during a Stone Mountain Christmas with more than 2 million LED lights, five live holiday shows and more. Highlights this year include:- The NEW Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer® in 4D!- Visits with the characters from the movie--Rudolph, Clarice, and Bumble - Stone Mountain Park's very own Snow Angel at her Snow Palace in Memorial Hall- A nightly Christmas Parade and visits with Santa Claus- A nightly snow and fireworks celebration featuring the Snow Angel flying high above the crowd

More info and tickets available at stonemountainpark.com/Events/Stone-Mountain-ChristmasSnow Mountain runs November 19, 2016 - February 26, 2017! Situated on what is commonly known as the "Laser Lawn," the snow park features various tubing runs and activities, including the Avalanche Alley family tube ride and the Snow Zone area, where younger kids can tube, make snowmen and snow angels, and throw snowballs in a snowball shooting gallery. After playing in the snow, families and visitors may warm up next to a crackling fire, roast marshmallows and enjoy smores. More info and tickets available at www.stonemountainpark.com/Events/Snow-Mountain.

BETH K - UAB Nutritionist Dr. Beth Kitchin joined us with your guide to fiber and constipation. Most everyone knows that increasing fiber helps with constipation. But what many people don't know is that there two kinds of fiber – many high fiber foods have some of both kinds of fiber - soluble and insoluble. Soluble Fiber is in foods like oats, legumes like starchy beans and peas, apples, citrus fruits, and barley. This type of fiber can help lower your cholesterol and your blood sugar. It can also help you feel fuller and lose weight. Insoluble Fiber is in foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and legumes. This is the kind of fiber that attracts water, bulks up and helps with bowel movements. To fix constipation, get 25–30 grams of fiber a day. You can do this with a least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day.

A few good options include an apple with 4 grams of fiber, a medium banana with 3 grams, 1 cup cooked broccoli with 5 grams, 1 small baked potato with skin with 3 grams, or 1 cup raw carrots with 3 grams. Beth suggests choosing more whole grains such as 1 slice whole wheat bread with 2 grams of fiber, ¾ cup bran flakes with 5 grams, or ½ cup brown rice with 2 grams. And she suggests you eat more starchy beans & nuts such as 1-ounce pistachios or almonds with 3 grams, ½ cup lima beans with 6 grams, and 2/3 cup black-eyed peas or pinto beans with 8 grams. Drink plenty of water and other fluids. If you add on fiber but don't drink enough liquids, you could make constipation worse. The fiber needs to absorb water in order to soften the stool. Hot fluids and caffeine can stimulate the colon and can help as well. When nature calls, answer! When your body tells you it's time to go, you need to listen. If you don't what happens is the body loses its signal and the ability may not return for hours. Fluid is lost and the stool harden up making it even harder to go. Eat Prunes as they contain a natural laxative that promotes bowel movements. The fiber in many supplements is actually the soluble type that doesn't help with constipation. Try foods first. If that doesn't work, then talk with your doctor. It's important to rule out other medical conditions or medications as the source of the problem. Follow Beth on twitter at @DrBethK.

MONEY TUESDAY - Kimberly Reynolds MS, CFP® with the Welch Group joined us to discuss healthcare. With Donald Trump staging an unprecedented upset victory over Hillary Clinton, what is the future of Obamacare? One of the cornerstones of the Trump campaign was a pledge to dismantle Obamacare which has experienced eye-popping escalation of premiums as well as the exodus of numerous healthcare providers in many markets. Kimberly expects we will see significant changes but those changes will take time. For now, many of you face decisions about your choice of a health insurance plan, and making the right choice could significantly affect your pocketbook. If you're not on a company group plan and must buy your coverage, here's what you need to know... You must enroll by December 15, 2016 for coverage to begin January 1, 2017. The last enrollment date is January 31, 2017 for coverage to begin March 1, 2017.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama is the only company offering individual and family plans directly and on the Health Insurance Marketplace. Humana and United Healthcare are exiting the Alabama market completely and not selling plans. BCBS provides eight plans directly and six plans on the health insurance marketplace. If you qualify for a subsidy, then you must enroll for a plan through the health insurance marketplace at www.HealthCare.gov. If you do not qualify for a subsidy, then you can enroll for a plan directly through BCBS. Your plan options are Gold, Silver and Bronze. Gold level plans have the highest premiums with less out-of-pocket costs and are more ideal for individuals or families who anticipate using significant medical services during a given year. Bronze level plans have the lowest premiums but you will have the burden of higher out-of-pocket costs so it is more appropriate for individuals or families with excellent health and who don't anticipate using healthcare services for the coming year. If you choose the Bronze plan, be sure you have an adequate emergency reserve to cover potential out-of-pocket costs if needed. Silver plans are in the middle and tend to have the best balance of premium and out-of-pocket cost. The bottom line is policy premiums have increased over 50 percent the past two years. This increase cannot continue because families cannot afford to pay these premiums. We will have to wait and see what new legislation and changes are put together to make healthcare more affordable for American families. Understand, that under the current system, you get to make the choice of healthcare plan every year and you can't be turned down because of a change in your health status. However, making the right choice this year can save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

WILDLIFE EXPERT - Stuart R. Goldsby is the Regional Hunter Education Coordinator for Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. Today he discussed hunting calls and Fall Turkey Season opening this weekend with Deer. Fall Turkey Season - Decoys not permitted- runs November 19- November 30 and December 17- January 1 in Clarke, Clay, Covington, Monroe, Randolph, and Talladega Counties. Stuart says that the most popular strategy for hunting fall turkey is to find a flock, break the flock up, sit down by a tree and call one back to you. No decoy and no dogs. Stuart also reminds us that Hunter Orange is not required while hunting turkey. For more information call Outdoor Alabama's Wildlife section 334-242-3469, Enforcement section 334-242-3467, Fisheries section 334-242-3471, or visit www.outdooralabama.com.

FALL HARVEST RECIPES - From butternut squash soup and roasted Brussel sprouts to homemade apple pie, Fall is one of the most delicious times of the year. This season, whether you're picking vegetables from your own garden or making choices at your local farmers market or grocery store, restaurant-owner and Top Chef Alum Brooke Williamson shows us the seasonal recipes and gardening tips you'll need to take advantage of the harvest season. Brooke shared original recipes inspired by her own garden using her fall harvest, gardening tips such as when to pick your produce or how to harvest them indoors, taking food "from seed to plate," and the importance of organic foods. Plus, Brooke shared details on how to get your community or school garden involved in The Seeds of Change Grant Program in 2017. For more information please visit http://seedsofchangefoods.com/.

In a medium bowl, combine the green beans with one tablespoon of olive oil and salt. Toss until the green beans are well coated with oil and evenly seasoned. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat until it is smoking hot. Add the green beans to the hot pan, and sauté until evenly charred and browned - approx. 2 minutes, depending on how hot your pan is. Remove the green beans from heat and set aside. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, and add the remaining oil. Add the cleaned clams and sliced garlic. Stir the clams around until the garlic begins to brown and add the chicken stock and cover with a lid to steam the clams open. This should take only a couple of minutes. When the clams open, remove the lid and add the sliced sausage, peppers and lemon juice. Lastly, add the contents of the 2 packs of Seeds Of Change 7 grain blend and stir to incorporate. Cover with lid until grain blend is hot and then transfer everything to a serving platter. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve.

In a medium mixing bowl add the cleaned and quartered Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sherry vinegar, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Toss until the Brussels sprouts are well coated and evenly seasoned. Place the sprouts on a non-stick baking sheet and into a preheated 400-degree oven for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy on the edges. On a separate non-stick baking sheet, lay the sliced black forest ham out evenly and place into the 400-degree oven for approximately 8-10 minutes until crisp. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, remaining olive oil, lemon juice, pressed garlic, smoked paprika, and remaining salt until well combined. Microwave the Seeds of Change brown rice and quinoa packs per instructions on the packet. On a serving platter, empty out the hot rice packets and top with the roasted Brussels sprouts. Garnish with the "quick" smoked paprika aioli, chopped toasted almonds, and crispy black forest ham, and serve.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, 1 teaspoon of salt, and brown sugar. Add the sliced acorn squash, and toss to completely coat the squash. Place the sliced buttered squash on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and into a preheated 400-degree oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until softened and slightly browned. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. In a small mixing bowl, combine all chopped herbs, chopped pumpkin seeds, remaining salt, minced garlic, olive oil, ground pepper, lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir until well combined. Microwave the Seeds of Change brown rice and quinoa packs per instructions on the packet. In a large mixing bowl add the hot rice and raw corn, and stir to combine. On a serving platter, place a bed of the rice and corn mixture. Arrange the squash on top of rice mixture, and garnish with the sage chimichurri.

JEH JEH LIVE - Jeh Jeh joined us live from Vitalogy Wellness Center located at 2704 20th Street South in Homewood. Vitalogy is a state of the art board certified physician lead center for restorative and regenerative medicine. The innovative and full-service MediSpa supports an overall holistic approach to health, fitness, and wellness and specializes in bio-identical hormones, hormone replacement therapy for men and women, anti-aging medicine, nutrition, detoxification, weight management programs, and micronutrients. Today Dr. Farah Sultan explained how doctor’s offices are moving to a one-stop shop model where they can get full body services done like cosmetic, lab work, and IV shots.

AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK - This is American Education Week - November 14-18. The theme is Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility. Margaret Beard retired three years ago with 51 years and 10 months service. Now she is president of the Jefferson County Retired Teachers Association. She joins us to explain how area schools celebrate American Education Week! Today is also Retired Teachers Day and Educator for a Day.

Tomorrow on Good Day, we're experiencing some extreme weather with drought and warm temperatures... but we look at some real extreme weather that you can check out up close on the Imax screen! We check out a new flick headed our way! The children's doctor joins us to answer your questions about your kids and their health! And after some major shake-ups, we'll see how the College Football Playoff numbers look today and then talk with our analyst about what to expect from the rest of the season tomorrow! Join us for this and much more tomorrow on Good Day!